Software giant boosts Africa's information economy

Microsoft launched the programme which weaves innovation, partnerships, business strategies and citizen efforts to broaden the reach of technology into underserved communities earlier this year.

"The programme encompasses partnerships with governments and development organisations that span three interrelated areas in transforming education, fostering local innovation and enabling new jobs and opportunities," said Corporate Vice-President, Global Corporate Affairs, Pamela Passman.

"Our goal is to reach one billion people through the world who are underserved by technlology by the year 2015," she added. She said that countries need a strong base of educated and skilled technology workers, the people who would create tomorrow's powerful software and services if they are to achieve and sustain growth in technology.

"It is not only about jobs in the technology sector. Digital literacy is increasingly required in many countries to get your first job or to move up the economic ladder regardless of whether you are in the manufacturing, transportation or agricultural sector," she told participants attending a plenary session on New Jobs and Employment Opportunities.

Passman said that countries challenged by shrinking populations entering the workforce should ensure that all workers have digital literacy skills. "However, challenges like this one cannot be addressed by any single company on its own and requires coordinated, integrated, long term efforts across a wide range of partners, pulling together the resources and expertise of government, academia, private sector and non-governmental organisations," she noted.

She said that education is the cornerstone of economic opportunity yet increased demand for secondary and higher education around the world has strained educational infrastructures, created significant shortages of qualified teachers and impacted on the overall quality of eductation.

Building on partnerships with governments in over 100 countries is an initiative focused on three key areas that include primary and secondary school education.

Others are technology access, curriculum and training resources and teacher professional development.

"Many people will miss or have missed the opportunity to learn basic digital skills in formal education. Through our community technology skills programme, we are partnering with non-governmental organisations and telecentres to support a wide range of technology skills programmes.This initiative reaches non-traditional learners such as displaced workers, at risk youths and people with disabilities. It also reaches workers who want to enhance their careers with new skills and small business owners who want to help their companies grow through enhanced technology," she stated.

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